Many may assume the Bengali diaspora is a monolith of South Asian Muslims, but there are actually around 50 recognised indigenous and ethnic minority groups in the region, such as the Chakmas, Marmas and Santhals, who all adopt different languages, cultures and religions. Ukhengching Marma is one of the ceremonial queens for the Indigenous tribes… Continue reading Indigenous queen Ukhchengching on women’s sexual abuse in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
A public prosecutor in the Italian city of Padova is attempting to challenge the legitimacy of 33 birth certificates of children born to same-sex couples via insemination by a donor. The prosecutor, Valeria Sanzani, also seeks to remove the names of the mothers considered “non-genetic” from the birth certificates. This motion is one of the… Continue reading LGBTQ+ parents are being removed from their children’s birth certificates in Italy
Georgia’s parliament has approved a new law aimed at “family values and the protection of minors”, which includes significant restrictions on LGBT rights. The bill, passed in its third and final reading, grants authorities the power to ban Pride events, restrict public displays of the LGBT rainbow flag and censor films and books containing LGBT… Continue reading Georgian parliament passes law restricting LGBT rights ahead of election
More than two years have passed since a young woman called Mahsa Amini died in police custody after being arrested in Iran for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly. Her death sparked mass protests throughout Iran against the country’s ruling theocracy. The fight of Iranian women for freedom and bodily autonomy now rages on. Ahou… Continue reading In Iran women’s protests endure as morality laws grow harsher
The number of victims of femicide in Italy in 2020 equated to a woman killed every three days. “Femicide is not a crime of passion, it is a crime of power”, wrote Elena Cecchettin after her sister was killed in November 2023. Italian student Giulia Cecchettin, 22, was killed allegedly by her controlling ex-boyfriend, Filippo… Continue reading Femicide in Italy — a modern phenomenon deeply rooted in the country’s cultural past
For the first time in its 170-year history, the V&A held an exhibition that centred solely on African fashion. Fashion has long been seen and taught as centred in Europe, with Japanese designers occasionally highlighted as international non-Western exponents. The fashion education experienced by students often relies on a design cycle that has not changed… Continue reading Why the V&A’s Africa Fashion exhibition was important — and long overdue
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has joined hundreds of cities and counties across the country in declaring racism a public health threat. On 8 April 2021, CDC director Dr Rochelle P. Walensky called racism an epidemic that affects “the entire health of our nation”. Declaring racism a public health threat will create… Continue reading Declaring racism a public health crisis brings more attention to solving long-ignored racial gaps in health
Homelessness is reaching record highs in the UK. The latest statistics on statutory homelessness show that in March 2023, 104,510 households — including over 131,000 children — were living in hotels, hostels, B&Bs and the like. But disabled people are particularly affected by homelessness, as our new report, commissioned by the Centre for Homelessness Impact,… Continue reading Disabled people are disproportionately affected by homelessness — and getting support feels ‘nearly impossible’
The European Commission is taking legal action against Hungary at the European Court of Justice (ECJ), escalating a longstanding dispute over the country’s anti-LGBT laws. This is an unprecedented step for the EU, but it isn’t a sure win for LGBT rights in Europe—and even has the potential to endanger them. Hungary (under prime minister… Continue reading EU sues Hungary over anti-gay law — what it could mean for LGBT rights in Europe
Skin colour should be no more socially relevant than webbed feet or earwax production Over a third of people who are not white have experienced racial assault, and 77% of Black people have been racially abused in the UK. So, acting as a helpful reminder, it’s vital for universal acknowledgment among intolerant racists that every… Continue reading Skin colour is as arbitrary as melanin production
